The first time she fell down the stairs, he listened to the echoes of the sound her head, shoulders, and hips hitting the tiles on concrete made. He thought it was the best sound in the world, coupled with the little whimpers escaping her throat. Whether the little sounds she made were from pain or joy, he wasn’t too sure. When her body rolled onto the landing, she took a minute before sitting up. He thanked the heavens she was a sturdy little thing. How he would hate for her to break now after years of training.

He first met her in high school. She was the shy type, remaining quiet when there was a discussion, but when asked for her opinion she’d give a good one. She was an observer and a listener. If there was something someone wanted to know about the “goings on,” she would be the one to go to. Of course, not everyone knew about her voyeuristic tendency.

She had to become his friend. He wasted no time in getting to know her.

They became close in high school, but nothing romantic. She enjoyed his company and his palms became sweaty every time he wanted to hit her. He knew somewhere inside her was a girl who liked pain, and he was the kind of boy who would be glad to give it. The main reason he thought this about her was every time he saw her fall, she would look at the ground and smile. There was even a time she twisted her ankle and not a sound came out of her. He was the one who brought her to the clinic and stayed to watch the nurse bind her foot. She just smiled the whole time, and he salivated. He ached to be the one to bind her ankle tight, if only to coax a tiny whimper out of her.

He wanted to hear her whimper. He even dreamt about how she’d sound when the pain would be so intense that her only option was to cry out. It became his obsession, and when they entered college, he decided that she should be his girlfriend to test it out. Certainly, he couldn’t carry out his plans if she wasn’t emotionally tied to him. The courting, the flowers, the dates, the sex – everything he could do to make her fall in love with him. When he was sure that she was finally trapped, his heart leapt for joy.

It all started with a little S&M. He was the giver and she was the receiver. It only surprised him a little at how willing she was to participate. Little by little, he escalated his experiments with her body. He still remembered her first whimper. It was the time he pulled out one of her fingernails with a pair of pliers. She bled so much that he had to stop and bandage her wound. It was still too early for her to leave him.

Years, she held on for years. He didn’t quite understand why she didn’t struggle or run away from him. She just took everything he could give her. Every time he hit her, she just got right back up and prepared for the next blow. There was a brief moment when he thought he could no longer continue, but it was only a very brief moment. The expression in her eyes turned glassy by the time he started pushing her down the stairs. First, he tried it facing forward, then backward, then from the side, and even sitting down. He never knew there were so many ways to push someone down the stairs.

The last time she went down the stairs was in a trash bag. It had been five years, and finally, she hit her head so hard that she never got back up. He mourned for a moment; then went into the apartment they shared and placed her inside the black trash bag. There was no need to cut her up since her body was so battered that the bones had fractured in so many places. He didn’t even lift her. He just pulled her and listened to the thumping she made down each step. The final the thud she made when he heaved her into the dumpster was a heartwarming end to their relationship. Now, he thought, he could move on.

What is the "it" I'm referring to in the title of
this post, you might ask? Simply, your manuscript.

I'm currently editing Reaping Me Softly, which I wrote a
year ago and was accepted by Omnific Publishing early this year. This latest YA
novel is why I'm writing this post in the first place. You see, this is the
first time I'm reading Reaping since I submitted it, which is close to six
months ago.

As I sit down and edit, I'm surprised at what I've written.
Some of the nuances of the story I've actually forgotten. I'm caught laughing
at the right places and surprised when needed. In short, time away from the
story allows me to appreciate it today with fresh eyes.

If you've just finished writing your novel, don't dive into
the editing right away. Leave it alone for a bit. A week isn't too much to ask,
is it? A month is even better. Six might be too long, but hey, if you can leave
it alone that long then much better.

But what do I do during that time? You say.

Why, write a new novel. Start that other story bouncing
around in your head. Not the sequel to your first novel, mind you. Another
completely different story. I promise, when you go back to your previous novel,
you will return a better writer and with fresher eyes. Your work will benefit
because of the time away. You'll see.

Lee Chambers, the author of the Bestselling Amazon thriller THE PINEVILLE HEIST is getting ready to launch his second YA book in July. How would you like to be one the first to read a copy of THE SUM OF RANDOM CHANCE?

It is a fantasy drama that features Cole Wilkes, an eager rookie reporter for a small town paper who stumbles upon Sara Mackey mysteriously foiling a robbery at a grocery store. Desperate for success, Cole sets out to make his name on Sara's unique gift. From the homeless man on the street to the cafe owner where she works, Sara seems to positively affect all she meets and Cole becomes increasingly intrigued by her presence. Is Sara special in some way or are all the magical moments pure coincidence? Do the random choices we make in life lead us down a path of no return or will Cole gain a sense of self-worth before he sells her out?
This advance offer is for a select few that are keen to read early and surprises are in store for those that accept, as Lee is looking for blogger quotes for the paperback version. At the moment, Lee is only can only send you the kindle version, but for those that review and offer quotes, signed paperbacks are yours! If that works for you... let Lee know via lee AT leechambers DOT com. Also, check him out at www.pinevilleheist.com or follow on twitter @pinevilleheist.

In celebration of receiving my editorial notes for my latest
series Reaping Me Softly, I decided to write about the editing process. Loving
it, to be exact.

When I was much younger—centuries ago to be exact—and many
times naive, I hated editing. I had the worst mentality any writer could have:
Why should I edit my work? I intended to write it that way and it's perfect.

Oh was I so, so wrong, and I'm glad to be wrong.

I used to be so sensitive, taking every criticism of my work
personally. It was rough, and a torturous existence since you think everyone is
out to get you.

Well, since then, I’ve learned to love editing. I've even
reached a point where I relish it. When I'm writing, I'm actually excited to
get to the editing part.

Writing is a wonderful experience. It's a high unlike any
other. It's like putting a puzzle together and when you're done you get to see
the whole picture.

I realized it’s in the editing where true creativity and
ingenuity comes in.

To edit is to make the story better. The notes given are for
the improvement of what you already have. This is what makes editing fun. Since
you already have the story on paper, you get to explore other avenues that you
might not have realized during the writing process. You get to explore the
"what if" and the "what could be" of the story.

Now, I'm actually more nervous when I'm writing instead of
when I'm editing. You see, when I'm writing, I'm not sure where the story will
go. But when editing, since I already have the story written down, I'm more
confident. The editing process is what gives me the structure I need. The notes
given to me by my editor actually guides me in the direction I should go to
make the story better.

So, if you're dreading editing your novel, don't. It's the
best part of the process. You get to improve on what you have. You get notes
that guide you down roads you might not have thought about. Editing is what
turns your work-in-progress into a full fledged novel.

So, with that, I enter my editing cave. Please be ready with
the floral-scented Lysol when I emerge. It’s going to get funky.

I had so much fun watching this movie that it made me
curious about the Broadway version.

Rock of Ages follows several storylines that all eventually
intersect. You have the hometown girl who travels to the big city in the hopes
of making it big. You have the bar back who wants to play rock ‘n’ roll on the
big stage. You have the jaded rock star that has gotten too big for his shoes.
Then there are the minor storylines like the bar owner trying to do everything
he can to keep his bar open. The religious woman trying to get the bar closed.
And the owner of a strip club with a golden heart. Did I miss anything?

If the title doesn’t show it yet, this movie is a musical.
And the songs make up the soundtrack of my life. Anything that has Bon Jovi in
it automatically takes my heart. And to have Tom Cruise sing it? Well, you have
to see it to believe it. If you’re a GLEE fan, then you know the song Don’t
Stop Believin’ by Journey. We Built This City by Starship, Keep On Lovin' You by
REO Speedwagon, Waiting For a
Girl Like You by Foreigner…the list goes on and on.

Diego Boneta
and Julianne Hough play Drew Boley and Sherrie Christian
respectively. I think they did a pretty good job playing the leads for this
movie. But the stand out of the whole thing is Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx. He is
magnetic on screen. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen every time Stacee
Jaxx was on. And the girls fainting every time he passed by was completely
hilarious. Then there’s that steamy scene involving Malin Akerman as Constance Sack(the
Rolling Stones reporter). My jaw dropped. It was both funny and hot at the same
time.

If you’re looking for something to watch this weekend, make
it Rock of Ages. You will be singing along. It’s a fun movie with drama and
comedy and awesome songs. Musicals aren’t dead. I would definitely watch Rock
of Ages again, if only to stare and drool at Stacee Jaxx.

Yesterday, I caught up with Mel, a friend of mine since my teaching days. It's been a while since we've seen each other because she had to move back home for a while. Now she's back and our weekly meetings are on.

After introducing her to Serenitea and we grabbed a drink, and she spilled the most scandalous stories (one of the reasons why I love her), Mel decided to experience threading.

Threading is basically the process of removing unwanted hair with thread.

Apparently, to the uninitiated, it's a very painful process. As a spectator, I was laughing so hard.

I know, I know, I'm bad for laughing, but I couldn't help it.

And what kind of a friend would I be if I didn't gather video evidence for all of you?

I asked Mel's permission, of course, and the thing you need to know is that she's crazy (another reason why she's my friend).

So, without further ado, press play. I'm the one laughing in the background while giving encouragement. *giggles*

Despite the pictures saying the contrary, I'm Filipino--born and raised. And one of the things I love about being Filipino is the food. My favorite? Sinigang, which is a clear sour soup perfect to eat on rainy days.

With many Filipino dishes, every family has a different recipe or way of cooking it. Sinigang is a very versatile soup. You can cook it with pork, beef, shrimp. Every recipe is different. Some like it really sour while others like it close to not being sour at all. Some use real tamarind to flavor the soup while most use sinigang mix, which is so much easier.

You can put anything into the soup.

The recipe below is the basic sinigang. The best thing is to make it your own the way Filipino families do.

I want to start this post by professing my love for the poem
Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. The rhyming lines sing my life.

The path I took toward a writing career was a long and
winding one. If asked would I have changed anything along the way, I would say
no. Well, maybe dropping that History class in time, but that's neither here
nor there.

As many of you might know from my About Me page, I was on
track to being a doctor. I think upon conception my parents already wanted me
to become a doctor. I certainly grew up with that in mind. Of course, parents
want what's best for their kids. Who wouldn't want a doctor for a daughter?
It's a stable career.

This did not happen for several reasons.

First, I was content with having to memorize information.
Hence my grades were deplorable. I hated waiting at the end of term to find out
if I passed or not.

Second, I discovered that every time I read about a symptom,
I automatically thought I had that decease. At one point, I was totally
convinced I had appendicitis. Hilarious now, but not funny then.

Third, I hate hospitals. Being in them gives me the willies.
An occupational hazard since as a doctor I would have to call a hospital home.
*sigh*

Thank goodness I shifted to Literature. But even then, I
didn't think I was going to be a writer. I thought I was going to be a teacher.
Which is what happened for several years.

I can pin point the exact moment I decided to pursue a
writing career. It was August of 2010. I was working a dead end job for a
deadbeat employer and a psychotic supervisor. Well, who hasn't experience that?
I wasn't happy and I knew I wasn't doing what I loved.

I quit my job then and there. Something I don't advocate. As
they say, if you want to be a writer, don't quit your day job. But you know
what? No matter how difficult it got—touch and go for a while—I was happy
because I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.

Everyday I wake up excited instead of annoyed. I accept the
opportunities that come my way. I celebrate all the possibilities. That's what
happens when you're doing what you love.

If I hadn't shifted to Literature, I would be a doctor
today. I know this. But would I be happy? Not at all. I wouldn’t have one book
out and six more to follow. And I wouldn't be living my best life.

Everyone! I need your "likes" over at the Taste page on Amazon. Like on FB, you just have to click the "like" button to help me spread the word about Taste. I appreciate your help. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Taste-ebook/dp/B007Z1AC78

I’m a big believer in signs. Everything I do in life now is
driven by the signs I pick up along the way. Many think signs are just a set of
coincidences, and I’m fine with that because everyone is entitled to their own
thoughts and opinions. I’m learning every day not to be so judgmental and angry
with the world around me and accept what comes as it comes.

Let me show you an example of how signs work in my life.

The season finale of Touch aired a couple of days back, but
I haven’t watched it until a few minutes ago. I believe that this was the right
time to watch it because it wouldn’t have made sense to me or affected me the
way it did in this moment if I had watched it on the day it aired. You see, I
read something today. Something that made me sad. Sometimes, no matter how
strong we think we are, we cannot help how the carelessness of others makes us
feel. Well, the carelessness of someone, who thought she had the right to
express every thought in her head, no matter how negative, made me sad. But,
again, this is her opinion, which I cannot dispute. I just wish people were
nicer to one another. I think the world would be a better place because of it.

I digress again.

I felt lost because of the sadness I had in my heart. I
didn’t know what to think or do. Then I sat down to watch the final episode of
Touch. You see, what I like about Touch is that it centers around the premise
that we are all connected. That everything we do has a ripple effect. Every
week, I watched the show avidly. So, I gave in to watching the final episode,
and it gave me just what I needed to let go of someone else’s carelessness and
feel better. You see, the episodes of Touch are multi-layered yet connected
somehow. In this final episode, a man was travelling the world to film
musicians singing the same song. The song was only revealed at the end of the
episode. And one of the lines of the song is “Every little thing's gonna be alright.” At that
moment, I felt my burden lift and I began to breathe freely. I was meant to
watch the episode today when I needed it the most.

Anything in life can be a sign, especially when you’re doing
what you love doing or when you’re on the right path. How do you know if you’re
on the right path? Everything seems to click into place for you. Sure, there
will be bumps along the way, but that’s how life is. Each and every bump,
pebble, rock, bolder blocking our path is put there to either teach us
something or force us to find a way around.

I know I’m starting to sound wonky, but it gives me the
shivers every time a sign leads me to where I need to go. I wasn’t good at it
at first. Now, I’m still finding my way, but I smile at the fact that the
universe is good and provides what I need when I need it. Take the example of
the ending of Touch episode twelve. I needed something to lift my spirit and it
did.

When things are meant to happen, you feel it in your
gut. People say there’s always a silver lining because it’s true. Whatever may
be happening at this moment, good or bad, it’s for a purpose. Everything is connected.
The answers may not be obvious today or tomorrow because it’s not the right
time to be obvious, but when it does, you’ll see that it all makes sense.

Here's the song, if you want to take a listen:

"Don't worry about a thing,'Cause every little thing gonna be all right.Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!"

Rise up this mornin',Smiled with the risin' sun,Three little birdsPitch by my doorstepSingin' sweet songsOf melodies pure and true,Sayin', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou:")

Rise up this mornin',Smiled with the risin' sun,Three little birdsPitch by my doorstepSingin' sweet songsOf melodies pure and true,Sayin', "This is my message to you-ou-ou:"

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh!Every little thing gonna be all right. Don't worry!"Singin': "Don't worry about a thing" - I won't worry!"'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."

Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,'Cause every little thing gonna be all right" - I won't worry!Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, oh no!'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!

I know, I know, I should be writing—chapter fourteen to be
precise—but I need to get thoughts of Snow White and the Huntsman out of my
head before I start typing away.

I love watching movies, for those of you who are new to this
blog or are passing by. I have countless posts professing my love for the
silver screen. I can’t go a week without watching a movie. It’s part of my
routine.

This week, I got a chance to sit down and watch Snow White
and the Huntsman. Second movie based on the Snow White fairytale out this year.
Big trend—fairytales.

I digress.

I was excited for this latest incarnation. The buzz promised
a darker version of the beloved tale. And who was I to shy away from something dark?
So, with my iced tea in hand and shawl wrapped around my shoulders because the
theater was a little nippy, I waited for the movie to start.

For the most part, I appreciated what the producers wanted
for this film. I commend the movie makers for taking the Snow White tale to a
High Fantasy level. The visuals were stunning. Almost reminiscent of Lord of
the Rings. So, fans of that franchise, will want to see this one.

The journey aspect didn’t sit well with me, though. As with
all high fantasy, there is always a journey the main character takes to get to
his or her destination, which usually entails taking back what was stolen:
power, kingdom, etc. And during this journey, said main character picks up
allies along the way while the villain does everything in his or her power to
stop main character. This, in its most general sense, is what happens in Snow
White and the Huntsman. Those of you expecting the traditional story have been
warned. It’s almost like the story was JRR Tolkien’s take on the fairytale only
no one knows he ever wrote about it. Maybe because he wouldn’t be too proud of
the outcome.

The movie wasn’t that bad, believe me, despite what I write
here. This is just me rambling on to make sense of want I’ve seen. I guess what
turned me off ultimately was the Mononoke Hime reference in the movie involving
the white stag and the bright forest. Where in the world would Snow White encounter a white stag?
Well, maybe if in the Disney Universe Snow White stumbled into Bambi’s movie
for a bit. Is there something I’m missing from the fairytale? Fans of the anime will not be very happy.

What I liked most about the film? Charlize Theron as the
evil queen. That’s an Oscar winning actress for you. She played the role to
perfection. Girl who turns into evil psychotic queen because all her mother
wanted to do was save her. This alone is worth seeing the movie for. And the
costumes she gets to wear? Just magnificent. I have to applaud the costume
designer, even if the rest of the cast had to keep repeating what they were
wearing while the queen had a different dress on in every scene.

The ending I found to be anti-climactic. The build up was so
big that when the climax came along, I was holding my breath for something
spectacular. This is where the high fantasy falls on its face. I don’t think
they had enough extras to play a proper army storming a castle. The big battle
to take back the kingdom wasn’t so big. And the transition between Snow White
being innocent to her wearing armor and wielding a sword leading an army wasn’t
clear at all. How could someone kept in a tower for years have any form of
sword training? It boggles my mind.

And at its core, Snow White is a love story. Remember, only
true love’s kiss can break the spell. Fleeting glances, some witty banter, and
a drunken soliloquy isn’t enough to justify true love’s kiss. I wish there was
more. Even the “love triangle” was half baked to nonexistent at best. I’m a
romantic. I love cheesy. I can cry at the drop at a hat while watching romantic
scenes. But I’m not that gullible to accept what happened in the movie.

So, should you go see it? For the visuals, of course. For
the story, don’t get your hopes up. You already know the fairytale, this is a
spin on it, so don’t expect twists. Appreciate the theatrics put into the movie
and you’ll walk out not too disappointed. It’s not a total waste.

Hi, hi! I wanted to let everyone know that I'm guest posting at Author!Author! today. Total dream come true for me. Once I was a reader, now I had a chance to be a contributor. Hop on over to Anne's blog to be a part of my shenanigans: http://www.annemini.com/?p=17749